Theater, Music, and Collaboration: Jay DiPietro on “Peter and Vandy”:

Theater, Music, and Collaboration: Jay DiPietro on "Peter and Vandy":

EDITORS NOTE: This interview was originally published as part of indieWIRE’s coverage of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. “Peter and Vandy” opens Friday in theaters.

Set in Manhattan, “Peter and Vandy” is a story that shifts back and forth in time, juxtaposing two lovers from their romantic beginnings to the slow deterioration that follows. Starring Jason Ritter, Jess Weixler, Jesse L. Martin, and Tracie Thoms, the film marks the directorial debut of Jay DiPietro. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and is being released in theaters this Friday. indieWIRE talked to DiPietro about the film back in Sundance.

Please introduce yourself…

My name is Jay DiPietro. I live in Manhattan, and grew up in Massachusetts.

What were the circumstances that lead you to become a filmmaker?

After getting out of acting school, I learned how to write and I wrote “Peter and Vandy” as a play. We did it downtown in NYC. I acted in it, directed it, built the sets, etc. The play was a hit, got some awards, was optioned as a film and…

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in either developing the project?

…After being optioned, for two years the movie was not made. Very frustrating. When the two-year option was up, I brought the script to new producers and we hit the ground running.

The best thing we did was secure enough money to shoot it and set a firm date. Our funding wasn’t “cast contingent.” And as a result, we got great people. Sometimes you give a script to an actor and even if they like it, they don’t have to commit. They say, “This is great. Call me when you set a date.” And meanwhile they can get booked on other projects and then you’re back to square one. Having a firm date made it easier for people to commit. And like I said, we got great people as a result. Actors, DP, all the key positions.

Please elaborate on your approach to making the film…

This is my first feature. I had acted and directed before, but until you direct your first feature…you’re a rookie. Going into production I knew a few things… I knew how to block and talk to actors. That helps. I also knew exactly how color would be used in the film. And I knew the story. From there, my job was to execute what I knew, be open, and make sure everyone around me felt like it was their story too.

There’s a big difference between telling people what you want and getting what you want. To get what you want, you need other people to feel like it’s their project.

What other creative outlets do you explore?

I love music. I couldn’t wait to choose the soundtrack and score to the film. The coolest thing I learned about putting music to picture… it’s just like acting. If a moment is sad, for instance, a good actor doesn’t play sad – he plays against it and does something a little unexpected. Same thing with music. In the early editing stages, I brought in temp songs that seemed perfect – songs that reminded me of the scenes. And once we put them to picture it was like… “Huh? This sounds sappy.” The song wasn’t sappy. It’s just that it was matching the feeling of the scene too much. So we would find a new song that did something a little unexpected… like a good actor.

I wrote a scene with two characters named Peter and Vandy and had some actors read it. When the actors finished, a friend said, “You have to keep writing about these characters,” and before he could finish the sentence I knew exactly what I would write. I would write the story of this couple, but tell it out of sequence… and in doing so, make their story even clearer.

I imagined getting to know this couple intimately… and then seeing their first date. I imagined seeing them falling in love… and then seeing them call each other every name in the book. And I imagined how all the clues to who they become would be there when they fell in love. It may feel, at first, like they just go from “innocent lovers” to “grizzled / volatile couple.” But the more we get to know them, the more we see that they are setting up who they become, even in the most romantic of scenes. By first seeing their future, we can fully understand what is happening in the past (and vice versa).

But first and foremost, I just wanted to make a truthful, funny love story.

What are some of your favorite films, and what are your other creative influences?

My favorite films range from Bergman to “Midnight Run.”

Hemmingway’s short stories are a big influence. The way you felt you knew his character’s… The way he could make a single event feel like a character’s entire life.

I love the way Almodovar films look.

How do you define success as a filmmaker?

Creating a working atmosphere that people enjoy… and delivering a really good film.